I agree. If there's nothing to show, there's nothing to show. In ye olde days, cartographers used to put dragons and monsters and stuff in ("because everybody knew they were there anyway"), but we can't do that anymore.

Blank space is great to put other design elements in. A legend, index, captions, locator map etc. Then again, if you're asked to stretch a map to fill an unreasonably large area and adding more detail is not an option, you're in a bit of a dilemma. In cases like that, I usually tell the client about my concerns and see if I can persuade them to go with a smaller map.

Posted 13 November 2008 - 12:56 PM

Depends what you are showing, perhaps some information could be provided especially say if it involves statistics on how the data was derived. For example I created an economic atlas of Maine during my school days & to fill up space I either explained the forumla's to come up with the statistics or for the matter a table showing the differences & percentages.

"There is much beauty that we fail to see through our own eyes teeming with life forms that give us that perception of our reality. Leaves on the trees blowing gently in the wind, or scarily, the waves pounding through high surf, or lightly on a warm summer’s day; that opportunity to sit or swim in the water on a white beach. That comfort to shout, “The universal conscious do you hear me? I am alive, guide me dear logos towards the path of rightnesses.” Earned what has been kept, no longer to be absorbed into a life filled with cold damn winds and that stubborn fog clouding my vision with nothing but darkness."

BioGeoMan

Posted 13 November 2008 - 06:56 PM

BioGeoMan

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What about adding some sort of design element(s) that relate to the content of the map? I know some clients like it simple, but often you can exercise a bit of creativity by adding graphics to the overall map space that compliment, but not overwhelm the message of the map.

P Riggs

Posted 13 November 2008 - 09:15 PM

P Riggs

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If you are covering a a large area, you could always fill in the gaps with a few insets of city level detail.